THE Home Office’s response to growing numbers of migrant crossings in the Channel was described by a watchdog as “poor”  today with a report warning the “system is overwhelmed.”

Chief inspector of borders and immigration David Neal said the criticisms follow mainly from a refusal by the Home Office to move from an emergency response to what has become a “business-as-usual” situation.

“The Home Office’s performance in delivering an effective and efficient response to the challenge posed by the increasing volume of migrant arrivals via small boats is poor,” Mr Neal said.

“In my judgement, this arises principally from a refusal to transition from an emergency response to what has rapidly become steady state, or business as usual.

“This refusal permeates every aspect of the Home Office’s response. It is in the gift of ministers and senior officials to deliver an effective response.

“The volume is unprecedented and on some days the system is clearly overwhelmed.”

The Home Office said it has already transformed the way it deals with migrants arriving on from the Channel since Mr Neal’s inspection and added that work to address his recommendations was nearly finished.

The investigation is the latest in a series of critical reports on the way the government has dealt with the migrant crisis.

Home Office data obtained by the Refugee Council has shown the number of asylum-seekers “languishing” in hotels has almost trebled in a year.

Refugee Council chief executive Enver Solomon said: “This report is a damning indictment of the Home Office.”

Mr Neal previously expressed his frustration that the report had not been published sooner when it was passed to Home Secretary Priti Patel on February 24.

Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper accused the Home Office of trying to dodge Parliament and of attempting to hide the critical report.

“They published it only on the final day of Parliament so that they can’t be asked questions on it in Parliament,” she said.

“So we can’t actually ask them the questions about what progress they’ve made and whether or not anything has changed.”

She rejected Home Office assurances that things have changed for the better since the inspection was carried out.

“It’s clear that Conservative ministers have absolutely no grip about what’s going on. Instead they go for headlines and not the hard work to do the basics and sort things out,” Ms Cooper said.